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Beer Authority: A Terminal for Brews, Not Buses

By Florence Fabricant April 6, 2012 9:22 amApril 6, 2012 9:22 am

Ozier Muhammad/The New York Times

Instead of opening just after Thanksgiving, as planned, Joe Donagher and his partners are unlocking the doors on their new venture more than four months later, just before Easter. Called Beer Authority, this vast three-story beer hall and restaurant across 40th Street from the Port Authority Bus Terminal expects to finally wake from its bureaucratic nightmare on Friday.

“I have to say that yes, I am happy now,” said Mr. Donagher, who is also an owner of Rattle ‘N Hum, a bar on East 33rd Street. He said the opening had been held up by the process of filing plans (some of which were lost), obtaining permits and going through the inspections required by the city.

At the entrance to the place, a small bar area on the ground floor also offers a growler station. Upstairs, a spacious room has windows on two sides, a 63-foot mahogany bar and tables to seat 150. There are 90 taps, including some dispensing cask ales, and another 100 or so beers by the bottle. The emphasis is on craft beers from across the globe.

The chef, Dave Gallagher, from Belfast, Northern Ireland, has come up with a comprehensive menu of comfort classics like sliders and shepherds pie; typical beer food like steamed mussels, buffalo wings, and fish and chips; and more elaborate fare, including steak, pan-roasted salmon and pappardelle with grilled lobster. There are nine sandwiches and a few salads, too. One page of the menu offers suggested beer and food pairings. Tempted by that shepherd’s pie? Consider a dry stout.

The planning for this place included turning the rooftop of the two-story building into an outdoor beer garden. But that part of the project is now on hold. “We have to file for separate zoning for the roof,” Mr. Donagher said. “After the experience we just had, I don’t want to put a date on it.”